Fiberizing press



May 10, 1960 Filed Dec. 17, 1956 M. E. GlNAvEN 2,935,931

FIBERIZING PRESS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 10, 1960 M. E. GINAVEN 2,935,931

FIBERIZING PRESS Filed Dec. 17, 195e 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 k29g 4 i I 7151.3

m INVEN TOR. Aanv/N E. GlNnvEN ATToRN EY United States Patent FIBERIZING PRESS Marvin E. lGinaven, Springfield, Ohio, assignor to The Bauer Bros. Company, Springfield, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December 17, 1956, Serial No. 628,840 9 Claims. (Cl. 100-117) 'Ihis invention relates to a fiberizing press, and more particularly to apparatus for reducing fibrous materials such as wood chips and the like to a substantially fluid free and highly fiberized condition. Specifically, it produces a desirable pulp product in a single stage operation while simultaneously extracting liquid present.

More particularly, the invention provides an improvement in prior art apparatus in the nature of a continuous screw press which is adapted to treat brous materials to accomplish alternate twisting and compressing forces thereon, providing a means of liquor removal not feasible in an ordinary screw press. A slotted cage assembly provides drainage control fortluids and liquors separated thereby.

The invention provides apparatus incorporating several features of improvement. The present apparatus includes means affording a more positive, continuous delivery of the wood chips or the like in a Ifluid flow condition to the twisting and compression elements provided for operating thereon. An improved means for force feeding the delivered mixture to the twisting and compressing elements of the apparatus increases the pressure head on the materials being worked to thereby provide a considerable cooking of the materials in the twisting and compression process. The improved construction also provides more complete and efficient drainage of fluids and liquors separated Vfrom the materials being worked. The discharge control means provided affords a distinct simplification and improvement over the complex and expensive means employed for discharge control in the prior art devices.

Ihe object of the invention is to simplify the construction as well as the means and mode of operation of berizing presses, whereby such presses may not only be economically manufactured, but will be more efcient and satisfactory in use, adaptable to a wide variety of applications, and be unlikely to get out of repair.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved apparatus for use in producing high quality pulp material from fibrous materials by subjecting them to successive twisting and compression action in a single pass.

A further object of the invention is to provide irnproved feed means of a positive and non-clogging nature for fiberizing presses vand the like.

'Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for use in producing high quality pulp products from fibrous materials including improved cage means affording eicient drainage of fluids and liquors from the fibrous materials as they are being worked on.

An additional object of the invention is to provide apparatus for use in producing high quality pulp products from fibrous materials including improved discharge control means of a simplified and economical nature.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus for conveying fibrous materials such as Wood chips or the like in a fluid carrier and positively subjecting the fibrous materials to successive Itwisting and compression action of successively higher degree while affording maximum fluid drainage and liquor extraction I'2,935,9if1' Patented May 10, 1960 ICC therefrom so a pulp product of uniform high quality will be obtained.

An additional object of the invention is toprovide an improved berizing press having twin feed means of a positive nature arranged to introduce the material to be worked to the down side of a conical feed screw.

A further object of the inventionis to insure positive flow of the material through successive twisting and compression elements to produce a highly desirable pulp product in a single stage operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fiberizing press possessing the advantageous structural features, the inherent meritorious characteristics and the mode o operation herein mentioned.

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view as will more fully appear in the specification, the` invention intended to be protected by Letters Patent consists'of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation as hereinafter described or illustrated in the accompanying drawings, or their equivalents. i

Referring to the accompanying drawing wherein is shown one but obviously not necessarily the only form of embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the improved extraction and fiberizing apparatus of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the cage unit employed in the apparatus of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional. view taken Von line 4-4 of Fig. 3; t

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the discharge control means for the invention apparatus; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the feed drive coupling shown in Fig. 1.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

As seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings the apparatus includes a motor 1 which has a cylindrical drum 2 keyed to its drive shaft 3. The drum 2 is connected by a belt drive element 4 to a second and larger drum element 5, vertically spaced therefrom and in alignment therewith. The drum element 5 mounts on the outer end of the transmission shaft 6 and is keyed thereto. Inwardly of drum 5, the shaft 6 rotatably mounts in bearingsl 7 and 8 respectively mounted in parallel yspaced vertical standards 11 and 12. These standards project upwardly from a frame 10 to one end thereof adjacent the motor 1. A pinion 9 is mounted on shaft 6 in keyed relation thereto intermediate bearings 7 and 8. Y

A cover 99 is provided about the frame 10 to provide an operating enclosure 10" therewith adjacent to and beyond the frame standard 12.

Mounted in the standard 11 immediately adjacent the motor 1 and spaced vertically below the bearing 7 is a centrally apertured cup-shaped bearing housing 14 which opens outwardly of the end ofthe frame 10` and seats a Y bearing housing 16 axially aligned with the housing 14 and Vof considerably larger dimension.

The housing 16 is of a collar type and is provided with inwardly projecting ring flanges 19 and 20 at its respective extremities defining an annular recess therebetween. The face of housing 16 adjacent the operating enclosure 10' is stepped at the inner periphery of its flange 20 providing inner and outer shoulders 110 and 11,1 facing the enclosure 10'. A roller bearing 18 seats in the housing 16 with one face of its outer race abutting the inner shoulder 110. A cylindrical thrust sleeve 91- having a radial projection `92 extends through the housings 14 and 16 to have its respective extremities rotatably mount in the bearings 17 and 18 therein. The mounting of the sleeve 91 disposes its flange 92 within the recess '90 to have one face in the plane of `the shoulder 110 and abutting the inner race of the bearing V18 seated thereto. A thrust bearing 93 is interposed between the other face of the flange 92 and the flange 19 of the bearingV housing 16. End thrust of the sleeve 91 is accommodated thereby.

A collar 100 having an internal dimension identical with that of sleeve 91 is bolted to the inner end of the sleeve to form an axial extension thereof. This collar 100 is radially expanded relative the sleeve and its expanded portion projects about the adjacent end of the sleeve '91 to abut and contain the inner race of bearing 18 to the projection 92. The abutting ends of the sleeve 91 and the collar 100 respectively have projections and accommodating recesses providing a male-female engagement therebetween to prevent relative rotative movement. A sleeve 101 concentric with and spaced outwardly from the collar 100 is provided with an external stepped flange at one end abutting the outer race of the bearing 18 and the shoulder 111 in the bearing housing 16 to iix the position of the bearing in the housing. The sleeve 101 and the collar 100 project Within the operating enclosure and bearing means 102 are radially provided therebetween. The inner extremity of the sleeve 101 has an internal ange 103 to contain bearings 102. The end of the sleeve 101 in the enclosure 10 is internally recessed, while the adjacent end of collar 100 is externally reduced in dimension to have a finger ring 104 seat to the radial shoulder provided thereby and extend to seat over the end of sleeve 101 in the recess therein. -Liquid exchange between the bearings and the enclosure 10 is prevented thereby.

C) lrings are provided in the inner wall of collar 100 to provide a seal about one end of a main .drive shaft which extends axially through the upper portion of enclosure 10 to have the one end bear in the collar 100 and the thrust sleeve 91 and the other end project through the far wall of the enclosure. A splined connection between the inner end of shaft 25 and the sleeve 91 fixes them for conjoint rotation. Y

A tubular thrust shaft 105 mounts within the sleeve 91 to abut the splined end of the shaft 25 and form an axial extension thereof outwardly of the sleeve 91 beyond the standard 11. The outer extremity of the shaft 105 Ihas an external flange 106 notched in equidistantly spaced fashion about its periphery. The shaft 105 is externally threaded adjacent its ange 106 for threaded engagement with the sleeve 91 adjacent its outer end, permitting axial adjustment thereof relative shaft 25. The end face of the shaft 25 abutting the thrust shaft 105 is provided with a threaded recess and a bolt 107 extends through from the outer end of the shaft 105 into threaded engagement in the recessed end of the shaft 25. A washer 108 is interposed between a nut 109 threadedly engaged about the head of bolt 107 and the outer flanged end of the shaft 105 to lock shaftv 25 thereto. In this way axial adjustment of the shaft 25 may be had and the shaft 25 is fixed against end play. It is noted that the outer end face of the thrust sleeve 91 has threaded apertures circularly spaced therein so that, on establishing a desired adjustment of the shaft 105, a screw may be engaged in one of these circularly spaced apertures to project into a notch in flange 106 and thereby prevent relative 4rotation of the thrust jsleeve 91 and the thrust shaft 105.

Since the bolt 107 and nut 109 projects outwardly relative the bearing housing 14 and standard 11, a dishshaped cap 29 is seated over the projecting shaft assem-` bly means and releasably connected to the outer face of the bearing housing by any suitable means, to provide an enclosure therefor. Y

The hub of a gear 30 seats about the sleeve 91, intermediate the bearings 17 and 18, in keyed relation thereto. The gear 30 therefore directly meshes with the pinion 9 on the transmission shaft 6.

The hub of the gear 30 is thus keyed to the thrust sleeve 91 and through the sleeve 91 to the shaft 25 for rotation therewith. Accordingly, on operation of the motor 1, the shaft 25 is directly driven thereby.

A cylindrical sleeve 33 mounts over the shaft 25 to have its one end abut the collar and the other end extend -substantially within the operating enclosure 10. The abutting ends of the collar 100 and sleeve 33 have mating projections and notches to tix them for conjoint rotation with shaft 25 and sleeve 91. A helical blade 35, shaped to provide a conical configuration thereto at its outer periphery is fixed about the sleeve 33.

The peripheral dimension of the helical blade 35 reduces gradually from its end adjacent collar 100 to its extremity at the inner end of the sleeve 33. The sleeve 33 and the helical blade thereabout are peripherally contained by a matching conical casing section 36, the details which will be further described herein.

The casing 36 has a substantial aperture in the top thereof in the area of its largest cross-sectional dimension offset from the central vertical plane of blade 35 and to the normal down side thereof. A continuous wall or chute 37 seats to the casing 36 about the aperture in the top thereof. This chute 37 opens upwardly and outwardly of the enclosure 10 and has an external flange 37 which abuts the inner surface of the upper wall of the cover 99 to fix the position thereof. A hopper 38 which has a trapezoidal configuration seats to the upper extremity of the chute 37 to be connected thereto by any suitable means. This hopper has its largest dimension at its upper extremity and is provided with an observation window 39 in one face thereof. To one side at the top thereof the hopper 38 has an angled chute extension 40 which connects into a horizontal delivery chute 41. A drive motor 42 is mounted on the top of the hopper 38 to the opposite side thereof and connected by a belt drive to a continuous feed screw 43 axially mounted within the delivery chute 41 and extending longitudinally thereof. The chute 41 serves as a conveyance means for feeding a mixture of fluid and fibrous material such as wood chips to hopper 38 on its way to being treated in the operating enclosure 10. Mounted on the hopper 38 is a drive mechanism 44 for a pair of twin screws 45 which are suspended thereby to depend within the hopper 38 to points adjacent the aperture in the casing 36 on the down side of the conical. blade 35 as it is driven with shaft 25. A motor 46 is mounted to the chute 41 to afford the power to drive mechanism 44 through suitable transmission means. On energzation of the motor 46 the screws 45 will be rotated in opposite directions. Thus, on operation of the drive motor 42, the continuous feed screw 43 within the chute 41 will be driven to feed a mixture of fluid and fibrous material to the hopper 38. On energzation of the motor 46, the screws 45 rotated in opposite directions within the hopper 38 will positively force feed the delivered mixture to the conically developedhelical blade 35 within the cage section 36 to apply a primary pressure head thereon.

Beyond the sleeve 33 on the shaft 25 are mounted a series'of cylindrical sleeve sections 50 of successively increased external diameter having helical blade segments 51 projecting therefrom. These sleeve sections 50 are ylongitudinal-ly spaced on the shaft 25 to have the section 50 of minimum external diameter, which is identical with that of the sleeve 33, immediately in abutment with the inner end ofthe sleeve 33 to form, in effect, an extension thereof. These sections 50 are keyed at 26 to the shaft 25 for unison rotation therewith. Intermediate successive sleeve sections 50 are sleeve elements 52 which mount about the shaft 25 in keyed relation thereto and are provided with conical external configuration expandis provided about the elements 50, 51 and 52 extending' axially of the shaft 25 and forms an extension of the cage section 36. The blade segments 51 on the sleeve elements 450vl1ave uniform radial limits relative the axis of the shaft ..25 4regardless of the external diameter of their base sleeve .portions and they are conned immediately at their peripheres the cage 60.

The cage 60 consists of a series of longitudinally extending bars61 which are wedge-shaped in cross-section so that as they are connected in laterally abutting relation they will extend cylindrically about shaft 25 to provide a cage-like enclosure therefor. `Semicircularrclamp base elements 62 are provided in containing and supporting relation to the lower half of the cage 60 at longitudinally spaced intervals. These clamp elements 62 Ahave laterally projecting extensions 63 at the upper open portion thereof which respectively seat on support plates 64 connected to the inner side walls of the enclosure of the housing 10 and project inwardly therefrom on a common plane. The base clamp elements 62 and the cage 60A are thus supported by plates 64 within the housing 10. 'Ilhe laterally extending projections 63 of each base clamp 62 accommodate the lateral base portions of upper mating clamp elements 65 of a similar nature. The upper and lower clamp elements are connected by bolts V66 at theirabutting lateral extensions. Cage containing clamp assemblies are provided thereby which are longitudinally spaced and lock the longitudinally extending ba-r segments 61 together. in their cylindrical configuration. l

`The mating pairs of clamp elements 62 and 65 have mating recesses 69 at their adjacent inner surfaces. Adjacent pairs of clamp units serve to seat breaker plates or bars 67 inthe mating recesses'provided thereby at diametrically opposed positions relative each conical element 52 on the shaft 25 in the central horizontal plane thereof. The breaker bars 67 project-through the cage 60 and are txcd in their diametrically opposed positions relative each pressure member 52 by beingclamped between adjacent pairs of clamp units. rIhe inward extremity of each breaker plate has a slope conforming to that of the sec-` tion `52 toward which it extends. The purpose of these breaker plates 67 and their function Will be fur-ther described herein.

-The lower portionv of the housing 10' below the cage 60 is hopper-shaped in cross section and has horizontal support bars 40 thereacross at longitudinally spaced intervals to each of which is connected the base of a vertical support lelement 68fwhich engages under the cage 60.

Each of the bar segments 61 are formed, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 ofthe drawings, to have cut back portions in one side providing recesses 49 therein which are wedge shaped in cross section and expand from the inner surface ofthe cage. As shown, the recessed sides of bar segments 61 abut solid sides of succeeding bar segments in the `formation ofthe cylindrical cage 60.V TheseY recesses deline eiicient drainage outlets. The conical cage' section 36 is formed and contained similarly to the cage 60. It accordingly appears to require no further detailed description.

The cage 60 extends through an aperture in the outer end of the enclosure 10' and is supported therein by a plate 70 xed to the end wall 71 of the housing. A chute-section 72 of an elbow nature and provided with anv access plate 73' is bolted to the plate 70 to form an extension of cage 60 outwardly of housing 10. A depending chute 74 is connected to chute section 72 to carry the pulp product from the operating enclosure 10'.

, The outer end 55 of shaft 25 is threadedand reduced in diameter and extends outwardly of cage 60 into chute 72. Within the end of cage 60 adjacent chute 72, a generally conical discharge sleeve element 52 is mounted about the'shaft 25 with its inner end abutting the last sleeve 50 on the shaft and having the same external dimension. The sleeve 52 has -a reduced cylindrical extension .56 projecting into the chute 72. The outer extremity 57 of the extension 56 is radially expanded. A cap 58 having an external ilange 59 of the same external dimension as extremity 57 screws over the threaded end 55 of shaft 25 to have the flange 59 abut portion 57 of the sleeve 52? for purposes to be described.

The" use of the invention apparatus is as follows. A fluidy mixture including wood chips, for example, is delivered by continuous screw 43 through chute 41. The screw conveyor 43 controls the rate of feed. The fluid mixture is thus advanced to hopper 38 wherein the twin screws 45, 45 counter-rotate and serve to establish a primary pressure head to positively move the material from the horizontal screw conveyor through chute 37 to the entrance to the screw press in the expanded end of the conical cage section 36 to the down side of screw 35. The motor 1 drives shaft 25 through pinion 9, gear 30 and sleeve 91. The keyed twisting and compression sleeve sections 3-3, 50 and 52 are driven with shaft 25.

'Ihe conical cage serves to accommodate a maximum volume of the material which is delivered thereto at the down side of blade 35. The conically formed helical blade 35 therein constitutes a worm with a long pitch which completely and efficiently picks up the material on its down side and advances the material at a more rapid rate and under a higher pressure. The conical nature ofthe blade 35 and the cage section 36 in conjunction' with the speed of advance of material results in a sub' stantial compression of the material as it is introduced to cage 60. This substantial compression results in the removal of a maximum amount of fluid from the wood chips which is readily dispersed and drained due to both the slots inthe cage36 and the conical nature thereof which induces the uid to ow away from the cage section 60. As the chips are advanced into cage 60, the bladed elements 50 develop a twisting of the chips in the feed thereof to aiford a measure of berization thereto and forces them past the conical elements 52 providing further compression of the chips thereby and extractionv of fluids and liquor therefrom. The breaker bars 67 channel the mixture as it is forced past the compression elements 52 to interrupt the rotative effect of the bladed elements 50 thereon. The successively increasing size of elements 50 and 52 with the maintenance of the uniform internal diameter of the cage 60 produces a multi-staged action in the progression of the material being worked, increasing the twisting and compression thereof for maximum berization and maximum fluid and liquor extraction, vthe liquor and uid being efficiently dispersed through the wedge shaped slots provided by the bar segments in cage 60. The eiect of this Working of the material and the pressure developed thereon produces a cooking eifect on the raw chips enabling increase in quality of the resulting pulp product. This process also assists in the elimination of shives and results in a product Awith a minimum of down time in the event the sleeve was required to be changed. The operation of the press for some time results in the accumulation of solids between the shaft and the discharge sleeve making it ordinarily diiiicult to move the sleeve. However, this difficulty has been eliminated by the presentconstruction of the .discharge sleeve 52 'and the end cap 58 'in conjunction with their association to the shaft 25. A clampring 80 is connected about the abutting projections 57 and 59 of the sleeve and the cap. This ring-80 serves as a'puller ring. By engaging the cap nut-58 with a wrench, while the shaft 2S is driven by its motor 1, the cap nut unscrews andthe clamp ring 80 acts as a puller ring and pulls the keyed discharge sleeve SZ from the shaft 25. This isa simple `and effective operation and Yrequires a minimum of time and labor. Thus, a considerable simplificationiof the means for control of discharge clearance has been effected. By mounting a discharge sleeve kof desired dimension a desired discharge rate can be provided.

Accordingly, a considerable and advantageous improvementin available apparatus for producing na relatively high pulp from brous material at minimum-cost and maximum efficiency in a single pass is provided. The provision for the offset disposition of the twin feedscrews 45 relative the conical blade 35 provides a high increase in the positive flow of material to and through the twisting and compressing elements.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement ofparts without departing from `the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the vinvention has been described in language more orless lspecific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise but one of several modes of putting the invention into effect.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. A fiberizing unit for wood chips and the like comprising, a housing, a horizontally disposed 'operating cage within said housing having a conically formed entrance section, the remainder of the cage being of uniform internal diameter, conveyor means for conducting Vwood chips or the like in a fluid medium, chute Vmeans connecting said conveyor means and said entrance section of the cage means, positive feed means tin said chute means for conducting the wood chips in their iiuid medium to said cage means, a shaft having thereon a first conically convergent blade means in said cage means disposed in said entrance section and being adapted to receive the chips in their fluid medium on its down side as it rotates to implement their flow movement, applying a pressure head to and accelerating the movement of said wood chips, to affect a compression lthereof and removal Vof a major portion of the iiuid therefrom, said shaft having thereon a staged series of successively arranged twisting and compression elements extending axially within said cage means following said first means for successively and intermittently effecting a twisting fiberizing action thereon and then increasing the pressure on said wood chips and removing a substantial part of the remaining uid and liquor therein, said cage means having apertures in the bottom thereof for the fluids and Vliquors extracted from said Wood chips providing means to carry off fluid released by said conically convergent blade means prior to entrance of the wood chips and uid medium upon said staged series of elements, and discharge control means in said cage means controlling discharge of the berized wood chips therefrom whereby a highly fberized pulp product obtains.

2. A fiberizing unit for reducing raw Wood vchips land the like to a high quality pulp comprising, a housing, acage means having its entrance section conically formed within said housing at one end, the remainder of the cage being substantially of uniform internal diameter, a

feed chute 'means connecting to said cage means tat the conical end thereof, having the'entrancesectioncounterrotating screws in said -chute 'means for positively 'feeding wood chips `or the like `in a vfluid medium'to'fsaid cage means, a shaft, a conical screw means mounted on said shaft in Asaid cage means adjacent'the counter-rotating screws for compressing said wood chips and increasing the `pressure head thereon to remove a substantial portion or fluid therefrom in the process, drain means in `the bottom of said cage means below Ysaid conical 'screw means formed to channel uid removed thereby to 'exit to said one end of said cage means and -conjontly'ope'rating means on said shaft within said cage means-following said screw means and intermittently and successively effecting twisting and compression of the wood chips fed thereto by said conical'screw means in staged fashion whereby to induce a cooking of said wood chips 'and a high degree of fiberizing thereof in a single pass, and means at the other end of the cage means for controlling the discharge of pulp product fed therefrom.

3. A unit for reducing fibrousmaterial to a high quality pulp in a single pass comprising, a series of llongitudinally extending bar elements cylindrically arranged and respectively connected to provide a slotted cage'mean's, van entrance cage -section connected to said cage means at one end thereof and forming an extension thereof, `said fentrance section being conically formed and Vexpanding away from said cage means, a conical screwih 'said 'e'ntrance section rotatably mounted therein, means "connected to said entrance cage section including Ipositive feed means for conducting fibrous material with a fluid medium -to said conical screw, a series of helically bladed segments and conical pressure elements successively arranged in said cage means following said conical screw, said conical screw being operable on the fibrous '7material introduced thereto to build a pressure -head Ithereon of an increasing nature and force feed said `fibrous -rn'aterial to said helical bladed and conical pressure'elements in successive fashion, said conical cage section providing a flow of fluid extracted from the fibrous material in operating thereon away from said cage means whereby, on entrance of said fibrous material to said bladed and pressure elements successively, a maximum lfluid hasbeen previously extracted therefrom.

4. A unit for reducing fibrous material to a high quality pulp in a single pass comprising, a series of longitudinally extending bar elements cylindrically arranged and respectively connected to provide a slotted cage means, an entrance cage section connected to said cage means atone end thereof and forming an extension thereof, said entrance section being conically formed and expanding away from said cage means, a conical screw in said entrance section, rotatably mounted therein, means connected to said entrance section including positive feed means for conducting brous material in a fiuid medium to said conical screw, a series of helically bladed segments and conical pressure elements successively arranged in said cage means following said conical screw, "said conical screw being operable on the fibrous material introduced thereto to build a pressure head thereon of-an increasing nature and force feed s'aid fibrous material lto said helical bladed and conical pressure elements in successivefashion, said conical entrance section .providing 'a flow of uid extracted from the fibrous material in operating thereon away from said cage means whereby on entrance of I'said fibrous material to said bladed and pressure elements successively a maximum fiuid has been previously e'xtracted therefrom, said helically bladed elements and pressure elements being of successively larger 'degre'eto afford a staged twisting and compression 'of lthe `fibr'ou's materials delivered thereto, and discharge control means on said cage means, operative to control vthe discharge of pulp therefrom. Y'

5. A-fiberizing unit comprising, a housing, 1a cage Ameans longitudinally extending in said housing, a shaft means in said housing extending axially through said cage means, a helical blade having a conical configuration mounted about said shaft means at one end of said cage means with its largest dimension adjacent said one end of said cage means, a feed chute connected into said cage means adjacent said helical blade, feed means mounted to depend in said chute for conveying wood chips or other fibrous material in a fluid medium to said helical blade on its downside, said helical blade being formed to force feed accelerate, and initially increase the pressure on said wood chips to remove a substantial portion of the fluid therefrom, at least the bottom of the cage about said helical blade being sloped to drain the removed uid outwardly of said cage means adjacent said one end -thereof, a succession of twisting `and compressing elements mounted on said shaft means following said helical blade lthereon for successively fiberizing and gradually increasing the pressure head on the wood chips as they Aare driven through said cage means, and breaker plates mounted to said cage means to extend radially inwardly thereof to said compressing elements to channel the fiberized wood chips as they are fed thereby under the influence of the twisting elements adjacent the compressing elements, and discharge control means at the other end of said shaft for controlling the outlet for the pulp product produced within said cage means.

6. A fiberizing unit comprising, a housing, a cage means in said housing, a shaft means in said housing extending axially through said cage means, a helical blade having a conical configuration mounted about said shaft means adjacent one end with its largest dimension adjacent said one end of said cage means, a feed chute connected into said cage means adjacent said helical blade, feed means mounted to depend in said chute means for positively conveying wood chips or the like in a fluid medium to said helical blade, said helical blade being formed to force feed, accelerate, and initially increase the pressure on said wood chips to remove a substantial portion of the fluid therefrom, at least the bottom of the cage about said helical blade being sloped to drain lthe removed fluid outwardly of said cage means adjacent said one end of said cage means, a succession of twisting and compressing elements mounted on said shaft means following said helical blade thereon for successively fiberizing and increasing the pressure head on the wood chips as they are driven through said cage means, and breaker plates mounted to said cage means to extend inwardly thereof to said compressing elements to channel the wood chips as they are fed thereby under the influence of the twisting elements adjacent the compressing elements, a

discharge sleeve about the discharge end of said shaft having a radially expanded extremity, a cap threadedly engaged over the outer end of said shaft having a radial expanded extremity mated with the radially expanded extremity of said sleeve anda puller lring containing the said mated radially expanded extremities, said discharge sleeve being keyed to said shaft whereby, on applying a wrench to said cap, on drive of said shaft means said cap will be threadedly disengaged from said shaft and said discharge sleeve will be pulled therefrom in the process for ready replacement thereof.

7. A berizing unit for reducing raw wood chips and the like to a high quality pulp comprising, a housing, a cage means within said housing, a feed chute means connecting in said cage means at one end thereof, screw means in said chute means for positively feeding wood chips or the like in a fluid medium to said cage means, a shaft rotatably mounted in said cage means, a force feed means on said shaft at the inner end adjacent the screw means for accelerating and compressing said wood chips and increasing the pressure thereon to remove a substantial portion of fluid therefromin the process, drain means provided'about said force feed means, and conjointly operating means on said shaft within said cage means, successively effecting twisting and gradually increasing compression of the wood chips fed thereto by said force feed means, whereby to induce a cooking and fiberizing of said wood chips, sleeve means on said shaft in keyed relation thereto at said other end of the cage means for controlling the rate of pulp product fed therefrom, said sleeve means having a radially expanded extremity, and a cap threadedly engaged over the outer end of said shaft having a radial expanded extremity mated with the radially expanded extremity of said sleeve means whereby on mounting a puller ring to contain the said mated radially expanded extremities and applying a wrench to said cap, on rotation of said shaft said cap will be threadedly disengaged from said shaft and said sleeve means will be pulled therefrom in the process for ready replacement thereof. Y

8. A unit for reducing raw wood or similar fibrous material to high quality pulp in a single pass comprising, a generally tubular cage means having a conically expanded entrance end, a shaft rotatably mounted in said cage means,.means connected to said entrance end for introducing raw wood in a fluid medium thereto, a bladed sleeve keyed to said shaft in the conically expanded portion of said cage means, the blade thereon being developed for increasing the pressure on and accelerating the raw wood for substantially removing all fluid therefrom in force feeding the raw wood through said cage means, said means connected to said entrance end introducing the raw wood on the down side of said bladed sleeve, and a series of sleeve segments on said shaft in said cage means having successive external configuration to successively twist and then compress the raw wood to a successively higher degree to induce a high degree of fiberization and cooking thereof in a single pass, the conically expanded entrance end of said cage means being slotted whereby on force feeding of the raw wood by said bladed sleeve therein the iiuids removed thereby will drain away from the relatively reduced portion of said cage means.

9. A unit for reducing fibrous material to a high quality pulp in a single pass comprising an apertured cage means, an entrance cage section connected to said cage means at one end and forming an extension thereof, the remainder of the cage being substantially of uniform internal diameter, said entrance section being conically formed and expanded away from said cage means, a shaft extending through said cage means, a conical screw mounted on said shaft in said entrance section and rotatably mounted therewith, means connected to said entrance cage section including positive feed means for conducting fibrous material in a fluid medium to said conical screw, a series of bladed segments and pressure elements successively arranged on said shaft in said cage means following -said conical screw, said conical screw being operable on the fibrous material introduced thereto to build a pressure head thereon of an increasing nature and force feed said fibrous material to said b-laded segments and presstu'e elements in successive fashion, said cage section and entrance section thereof having apertures to allow the uid extracted from the fibrous material in operating thereon to flow away from said cage means whereby on entrance of said fibrous material to said bladed segments and pressure elements successively, a maximum fluid has been previously extracted therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent vUNlTED STATES PATENTS 829,314 Anderson Aug. 2l, 1906 1,421,282 Meakin June 27, 1922 1,820,590 Anderson Aug. 25, 1931 2,331,883 Anderson Oct. 19, 1943 2,556,499 Killip June 12, 1951 2,615,387 Messing Oct. 28, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 496,942 Germany Apr. 30, 1930 

